Summary

Scream 7 is moving away from the Core Four characters, focusing on intriguing new characters.
Chad and Mindy Meeks-Martin will play a significant role, with potential for a compelling storyline.
The movie will be released on February 27, 2026.

Final girl Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) was the compelling focal point of the first four Scream movies, and I'm thrilled that Scream 7 is bringing her back. I'm also glad about another big change: instead of a new storyline involving the Core Four characters, only two are returning. Scream (2022) introduced smart sisters Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) along with twins Chad (Mason Gooding) and Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown). The horror sequel has gone through many changes since it was first announced, and while there's a huge cast, only Gooding and Savoy Brown are reprising their roles.

Scream 7 will have to strike the correct balance between old and new cast members in order to be successful, and that means giving the Meeks-Martin twins weighty storylines. But while some fans wanted to see the Carpenter sisters back in action and fighting Ghostface again, I don't think the Core Four was a good idea.

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By Aya Tsintziras

Scream 7 Is Right To Move Away From The Core Four

Sam Carpenter and Tara Carpenter in Scream 6

There are a lot of reasons to get excited about Scream 7, from the potential for a fresh take on Ghostface to the chance to fully dive into Sidney Prescott's grown-up life. I'm also glad that the Core Four isn't coming back because I don't think Sam, Tara, Chad, or Mindy were given proper storylines in the fifth and sixth Scream movies.

While I understand that Scream (2022) and Scream 6 wanted to lean into nostalgia by focusing on Sam's complicated relationship with her father Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich), this was a corny idea. It wasn't fun to watch Sam have visions of her dad's ghost, and it was a shame to see this awkward narrative device repeated in the sixth movie. I would also argue that Tara was sidelined in Scream (2022) and only given a little bit more of a meaty plotline in Scream 6. When compared to Ortega's notable TV character Wednesday Addams, Tara is just as intelligent, strong, and confident. However, Tara spends the fifth movie in the hospital after her Ghostface attack in the opening scene. Then, in the next film, her arc is all about her older sister learning to let go of treating her like a child. I wanted to see Tara do a lot more.

Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin could have had more engaging storylines in these Scream movies, too. Mindy plays the role that her charming film buff uncle Randy Meeks-Martin (Jamie Kennedy) once did and shares her knowledge of the horror genre. That works, but she needs more to do in Scream 7. As for Chad, his plotlines revolve around his love life as he has a girlfriend, Liv McKenzie (Sonia Ammar), in the fifth movie, and has chemistry with Tara in the sixth one. I would definitely like to know more about Mindy and Chad and to find out what it's been like to live in Randy's shadow.

It makes sense that the slasher franchise wanted to introduce new characters to take over from Sidney, who played a smaller role in Scream (2022) and didn't come back for Scream 6. However, as a huge Sidney fan, I'd argue that the Carpenter and Meeks-Martin siblings didn't have the same character development as the beloved final girl. I'm glad Scream 7 is about Sidney's family life instead of bringing back every Core Four member. The truth is that Ghostface's motive will always come back to Sidney, and it doesn't make sense to focus on other characters more.

Now Scream 7 Can Properly Focus On Chad And Mindy Meeks-Martin

Mindy (Jasmine Savoy Brown) and Chad (Mason Gooding) Meeks-Martin in Scream (2022)

Now that Chad and Mindy Meeks-Martin are the only two Core Four members coming back for Scream 7, I'm excited to see more of them. Maybe the siblings have a podcast about true crime, or they both work in journalism or the movie/TV industry. Perhaps they started their own business and are having fun running it together when a familiar character, whether Sidney Prescott or Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), asks them to help fight Ghostface.

I think that Chad and Mindy's family background makes them a more compelling part of the Scream franchise than some of the other newer characters. I was excited about seeing his niece and nephew in Scream (2022). Since Chad and Mindy are related to someone who loved analyzing the horror genre, it's interesting to watch them take on Ghostface.

Scream 7 will arrive in movie theaters on February 27th, 2026, and I can't wait to see where Chad and Mindy are now.

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